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2016/SOM1/EGILAT/021 Agenda Item: IV

FAO’s Preventive Approach to Illegal Logging

Purpose: Information Submitted by: FAO

9th Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade Meeting

Lima, Peru20-21 February 2016

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FAO's preventive approach to illegal logging

John PreissingFAO Representative - Perú

OutlineBackgroundFAO´s approach to illegal loggingFAO FLEGT ProgramResults and conclusions

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Problems caused by illegal logging

Low market prices for wood (due to oversupply).Discourages the legal loggers.Reduces the commercial incentive for the establishment of forest plantations (low market prices for wood).

Lowers the tax revenue of the State, coming from the forestry sector (which reduces the importance of the sector in the national economy)The relevance of sustainable forest management is not considered by the society.

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Loss of competitiveness within the forest sector, in an international context (markets are limited, not only for forest goods such as agricultural products obtained from illegally deforested lands).

The forest is being degraded, which generates other environmental and social issues.

Institutional deconstruction/instability, by possible actions of associated corruption.

Therefore, the effects of illegality are felt by all of society.

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2013 FAO Call for Zero Illegal Deforestation

Degradation of ecosystem services.Urgente- climate change and populationgrowth.Encourage tree planting.Zero illegal deforestation target- post 2015.

FAO´Approach to Illegal Logging - prevention

Supporting the global commitment onreduce and control illegal logging throughnational efforts.Illegal logging is usually linked to poor governance.

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All FAO forestry projects involve capacitybuilding at different levels.Involvement and building trust amongststakeholders.Lessons learned and good practices.

FAO FLEGT – Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA):

– Improving forest governance and regulation– Involving forest stakeholders– Ensuring legal sourcing and production of

timber– Contributing to development objectives

2012-2015: 108 projects in 32 countries (USD 85.500/project)

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Countries with FLEGT projects

FAO FLEGT – Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

VPA countries are currently developing the systems needed to control, verify and license legal timber.The EU FLEGT Facility supports the European Union, its Member States and partner countries in implementing the EU FLEGT Action Plan.FLEGT may stand also for “Fostering Local Empowerment and Grassroot Trust”.

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FAO FLEGT Projects by Themes

LAS: Legality assurance system

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Local Communities

and communityforestry FLEGT

activities

LAS, traceabilityAnd control

systems

Transparencyand

Independientobservation

Informationand pre

negotationphase of VPA

Informationand knowledge

Private sectorinitiatives

Domestic andregionalmarkets

Number of projectsby thematic priority

FAO FLEGT Phase III: emphasis on private sector needs and involvement

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Need assessment and training Legal policies and regulations Manuals, guides, normativematerials

Information Knowledge andcooperation

Precurement policies,domestic markets

Projects supporting private sector initiatives, bykey themes

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Examples: Good practices from projects

Carry out mapping exercise and identify typology of the various stakeholders.

Initiate preliminary reflection on the organization of stakeholders and mechanisms for their participation.Establish dialogue among the main stakeholders groups.

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Provide information on legislation, FLEGT and VPA.Analyze both the functioning of existing structures and systems (legality, traceability, institutions, etc.) and the large scale/industrial and domestic/artisanal sector.

Establish a baseline regarding social, economic and environmental aspects.Stress the need to make decisions by consensus.Develop/improve traceability systems.Set up an official internet site.Plan for communications tools.

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Promote south-south exchangesMake legislative texts available to the general public.Carry out cost-benefit studies of thelegality assurance system.

Peru´s Forest Projects – Illegal logging prevention

Project Link to illegal logging Means of preventing illegallogging

Forest Survey at nationallevel

Better forest zoning Tools, methods and capacitybuilding

Criteria and indicators of Good Governance

Compliance with legal framework

Plan for good governance at different levels; capacitybuilding

UN-REDD Identify and measure forestdegradation

Tools, methods and capacitybuilding

Indigenous peoples MRV system Capacity building

Tenure security, sustainable forest management and peoples’ livelihoods

Relationship between tenureand SFM

Study to provide policyrecomendations

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Project Link to illegal logging Means of preventing illegallogging

Restoration of landscapesand forests

Better forest zoning; increasedproductivity of forest margins

Tools, methods and capacitybuilding

Sustainable production of palm fruits in wetlands

Avoid cutting palm trees in community wetlands

Forest management plans, valueadded; capacity building

FLEGT – SFM in indigenous communities

Provent illegal logging; community technical staff in charge

Forest management plans, valueadded; capacity building

FLEGT – Communityforest surveillance system

Provent illegal logging; community technical staff in charge

Forest management plans; valueadded; capacity building

FLEGT – Strengtheningsubnational environmentauthority

Pilot project in invaded forestareas

Provide legal and technicalinformation; capacity building

Key Conclusions

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Food Security, poverty reduction, and sustainability are tied to preventing illegallogging.Preventing illegal logging can be achieved in different ways.Opening policy dialogue allows disadvantagegroups to influence decisions that haveimpact in their way of life.VPA as an important target.

Factors in effective participation

EffectiveParticipation

Level of informationAnd transparency

Quality ofRepresentation

Influenceover decisions

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Communication strategy is keyNeed for greater private sector involvement.Internal planning – learn, re-think, innovate, improve.FLEGT Third Phase – links with privatesector and other initiatives.